A crashed P-47D Thunderbolt (CP-X, serial number 42-75080) of the 367th Fighter Squadron, 358th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force. Crash site 51o 25' 13.86" North 0o 25' 54.52" East - Shorne, Kent, UK Eye witness to the crash Ray Clarke: 'On New Year's Eve 1943, I was ploughing when I heard a terrific roar of an aeroplane clearly in distress. The plough horses frightened by this broke into a gallop which I was able to bring under control. I went to look over the hedge and saw that a plane had come down in the field opposite The Crown Garage, now a car sales. I joined one or two other people who were running towards the plane and helped dig a hole so that we could get the pilot out as the cockpit and front of the plane were upside down, although the rear half was the right way up (photo included). The pilot was still strapped in so I used my penknife to cut him free, he was taken to Gravesend Hospital where he was found to have a broken arm, broken rib and a nasty gash to his hand. On it's way down the plane had hit several poles carrying the electricity supply to several properties nearby leaving them with no power for any New Year calibrations. The photograph shows the plan but it had more damage to it than subsequent to the crash. I later visited him in hospital and he confirmed he had run out of fuel on his way back to East Anglia and had tried to land on the road, not knowing that the Gravesend airfield was only a couple of miles away'. The pilot of the aircraft was Lieutenant Robert (Bob) H Fautt Jnr. He was returning from a mission with the 367th Fighter Squadron to provide penetration, target and withdrawal support to heavy bombers during an attack on industrial targets in Paris, France. Due to the range and duration of the mission arrangements were made to refuel the squadron at Manston Aerodrome, Kent prior to returning to their base at Leiston, Suffolk. Unfortunately there was only sufficient fuel for nine aircraft at Manston so the remaining aircraft were given orders to go to alternate refuelling aerodromes in South East of England. In addition to Lt Fautt's crash there were two other aircraft of the 367th Squadron that crashed that day. These being Lt Beach at Tenterden, Kent who crashed without injury and Lt Ognisty who sustained serious injuries. See also Media item http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/11991